Improvement in fire-escapes



- L. FALK.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Patenta& Feb. a, 1876.

4 .ray. .z.

J INVENTOR WITN ESSES "Tr !Y ATTORNEYS NrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

LOUIS FALK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPRQVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCPS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. !73,276, dated February8, 1876 application iiled J annary 8, 1876.

To all whom 'it may concm:

Be it known that I, LOUIS FALK, of New York city, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented a new and valuable Improvementin Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the follo-wng is a full,clear, and exact description of 'the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal verticalsection of .my fireescape, and Fig. 2 is a front View thereof. Fig; 3isa front View of the box, closed.

My invention relates to that class of fireescapes which are to be usedfrom the inside of a building and it consists in the construction andgeneral arrangement of the ladder, and of the box in which the ladder is'kept when not in use, as will be heroin-after more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawing, A represents alow box, of suitable dimensions,mounted upon casters B B and open at the top. This box is provided witha top made in two equal parts, G G, which are-pivoted to the front andrear of the box, and close over the same, extending a suitable distanceabove it. The two parts G C of the top open outward, one to each side,so as to entirely disclose the top of the box. The case thus constructedmay be used, when closed, as a comnode, table, wash-stand, oranythingthatit may be adapted for. Inside of the box A are pivoted twocurved arms, D D, connected and braced by suitable rods, and to theouter ends of these arms are pivoted two hooks, E E, to catch on theinner edge of the window-sill. To the outer ends of the hooks E areconnected se'- ries of links a a, which are connected together by roundsor bars Gr G, having two prongs, b b, at each end, said prongs formingthe pivots for connecting the links a. The rounds or bars G are bentoutward from the prongs at the .ends, so as to give more room for thehands.

This part of the ladder is made long enough to clear the windowcompletely, and the remainder of the ladder is formed in sections, each'section composed of two metal straps, I I, bent as shown, the rear orunder part of each strap running straight down, while the front part isbent inward and forward, and connected by a bruce, H, and a'woodenpiece, J, attached thereto. The sections are connected by twisted wired, forming the hinge between the sections.

The ladder thus constructed is folded, when not in use, in the box A,and entirely covered by the bisected top O.

When the ladder is to be used the case is rolled up to the window andthe top thrown open, the case then actig 'as an additional brace or stayfor the ladder. The ladder is then thrown out of the window, the hooks EE catching on the inner edge of the windowsill.

It will be noticed that the ladder is entirely unobstructed on the underside, so that it can be thrown out without liability of getting caughtor placed out of position in any way.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The box A, mount'ed upon casters B, and provided with the bisectedtop O G, closing over the box and opening outward, the two halves of thetop being pivoted to the front and back of the box, in conbination witha fireescape, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of the ladder, the hooks E E, thearms D D, 'and the box A, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a fire-escape ladder, of the links a, bent barsGr, with two prongs, b, at each end, and the sections formed by the'straps I and brace H, and hinged by the twisted wire d, all as and forthe purpose set forth.

'ln testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my nameinthe presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS FALK. Witnesses: i

JOHN J. BLAUVELT, G. E. BEYNoLDs.

